Into the Fray
by Aimlessly Unknown
Summary: Because she is Hinata; and this is her fight.


**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

**Summary: **Because she is Hinata; and this is her fight.

**Authors Note: Wow**

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_**Through the Fray**_

**By: Kyuubi Shiori-chan**

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Not once in her wildest dreams, in her wildest nightmares did she think she would fight Neji. She thought she would fight another village's ninja and lose to them with insults resounding in her head. She knew she would fight stronger than she was. It was burned in her bones that everyone was better than her. But when those two names showed up on the screen she stumbled back. Neji hopped down in grace as she followed in a pathetic mass of shivers and shakes. He stood in front of her, analyzing her with critical eyes that pointed out her obvious flaws. She almost resorts back to who she is destined to be, but then someone yells out to her, and she knows that voice. She has imagined it many a time as she sets out to prove them wrong and stop them from thinking she is weak.

_(She knows they still think it, it follows them around like a monster in silk. They tell her it is a miracle she is alive and that she was never supposed to match up to the genius. However much they taunt and ridicule she knows it is a lie. That she survived not because the teachers leapt in the way but because she was strong and fierce and bold and all the things she never was before. So she tells herself to fight, to grow, grow, __**grow**__and prove them all wrong_)

So she stands, her feet are set apart perfectly while her lips are pursed in determination vaguely like the blonde's up behind the rail. Her eyes are brighter than he first thought. They are not soft lavender that no one notices, nor a white that is bland, they are blue. A bright hued blue almost white, but stronger that they think she can be. Her skin is pale and translucent they notice, a symbol of fear, but the fierceness behind those eyes rack his body into a vexing tornado of pride. He stomps down the feeling; he has hated her since her father betrayed his and for that she must pay. But she does not whimper--not anymore--as her hands rise to form the Hyuuga Stance. Chakra is dancing across the ground as the two Hyuuga's stand to face each other.

(_And while hers is slow and soothing like a summer dance, his is a tiger roaring in a vortex of strength overpowering hers. She knows something though, his is rock and hers is water, and water can overpower rock. And she would, she would win and breathe and smile and cheer. But she can never do any of this for one reason. Though they are enemies they are still family in her eyes, the same blood courses through their veins as they take their positions. But--to him and everyone else-- they are enemies, two sides of a coin that can never just be one piece. And that is why she loses. She loses because she cared too much for him and everyone else._)

She launches herself into the attack like it is her life, and maybe it is. Soon they are dancing in a web of death, with beads of sweat all across her face and a pained expression so ragged that he refuses to look at her, but somehow her eyes are still alight and fierce and he is drawn back into the pools of ice. His moves are fast and quick--precision of a killer with the heart of a boy--while hers are gentle and thought through--a child's move she scolds. But they still dance, still fight.

(_Duck here, block there, hit here, strike, grow, grow, grow!_)

What she doesn't know is that in that 5 minute span that she moved like him and fought like him and breathed like him she did grow. Suddenly the determination in her eyes are changed into power, a power and desperation that confused even Kurenai who has watched the small female all her life. Her hair is no longer blue--bland like she is--it is now a raven black-blue, glossy and sleek on her head against pale skin that no longer fades into the background. Her skin glows and her eyes are bright and her hair is that of a raven's. But the most noticeable difference is the way she carries herself. She looks at him with little hatred and her head is held up high and the way she moves has a purpose. She has grown, and she doesn't even know it. What she does know--however--is that he is watching her. The man she has loved since she laid eyes on him is _watching _her.

(_She finds it terribly ironic that he is watching her considering she has watched dotingly for several years--now she never followed him home--but she would see him at Ichiraku constantly. His eyes are wide and joyous as Teuchi places a new bowl in front of him; his tan cheeks are spread out in a wild grin beautiful on his face. The bright blonde head of hair is disheveled and messed up into casual disarray with his headband covering his beautiful bangs. But she loves that headband, because it keeps his bangs from clouding over his beautiful blue eyes. The eyes that look like hers right now_)

She loses ground quickly--stumbling back and coughing up blood. Her footwork is sloppier and her focus is all over the place. She can't focus on Neji; her vision is hazy and losing colour. Neji sees his opportunity to hit her harshly in the chest. Suddenly all the world stops for Naruto as he sees the small mouse he adores fall back in an ungraceful lump bereft of any more chakra. This strikes fear into the hearts of all Konoha nins. No chakra equals death…Hinata's death…Naruto practically released Kyuubi here and now on Neji's fate-fucked ass. But something else stops him.

Hinata is getting back up.

Hinata is **getting back up.**

(_This stirs something hidden in Neji, is it pride or hate? Naruto is wildly grinning for all he's got because his beloved little mouse is taking just one more step into becoming her lioness hidden behind a wall of hurt. Suddenly the world falls from under everyone's feet because the one female no one expected to stand up is getting __**back up**__. Little Hinata is getting right back up in a blaze of beauty and courage and she takes her position once more with one message written in her forebodingly beautiful eyes--_watch me_--and he is…_)

She loses in a tornado of chakra, but she still wins in his eyes. Because she stood up for herself and fought with everything she had. She is well on her way to becoming a shinobi like everyone else. And no one will help her on the way, she refuses all help on becoming a better ninja (Though she reluctantly accepts Shino's help because Shino has been nothing but caring). Even though she receives help (reluctantly she stresses) she finds her style on her own. She finds a style ALL her own.

Because she is Hyuuga Hinata; and this is _her _fight.

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**well that was hell. I am going to take this time to tell you all that right after this I am uploading the next Red and White chapter. Yes I know you're all pissed off at me for waiting (hehe, yeah right) and I am giving you a reason for not hunting me down!**

**I AM THE MASTER OF THIS REALM AND THE NEXT! -gets hit by a gopher- OUCH!!**

**Lub,**

**Shiori-chan**


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